Goodbye Alpha, I'm Done - Chapter 30: Chapter 30

I nodded mutely, my legs feeling like lead as I followed him, conscious of the whispers and the accusatory stares of the other coworkers.
When the doors clicked shut behind us and I stepped into Ryker’s spacious office, I held my breath not knowing what to expect next.
"Selena," he began, his deep voice cutting through the tense silence. "It's your first day, and you've already managed to lose us an important client."
I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my ears. "Alpha Ryker, I... I can explain," I stammered,and cursed myself inwardly for sounding like a big fool.
"Well then, explain yourself. What the hell happened? I’m listening."
I inhaled deeply, my emotions threatening to spill over. "I swear, I didn't do anything wrong. I worked tirelessly on that presentation, and I have no idea how it went so horribly wrong. Linda is lying, I-"
Ryker's expression remained impassive as he listened to my explanation, his piercing gaze never faltering. Finally, he leaned back in his chair, a contemplative frown creasing his brow.
"I see.And you're certain that Linda was behind this?"
I mumbled under my breath that it was perfect before I handed it over to her. I told him I could show him a copy on my laptop and compare if it was the same used for the client.
Ryker was silent for a moment, his fingers drumming against the polished surface of his desk. Then, without warning, a small smile appeared at the corners of his lips.
"Well,I suppose I'll have to give you a second chance, then. After all, I can't very well let one of my most promising new hires go to waste, can I?"
"Thank you sir. I won’t let you down, I promise,"
Ryker's gaze remained fixed on me as he continued with the next words. "You promised that just yesterday. But see that you don’t because if you do, I won't be so forgiving next time."
I nodded, my throat suddenly dry. "I understand, Alpha Ryker," .
As I turned to leave, his voice stopped me in my tracks. "Oh, and Selena? Stop calling me Alpha Ryker and just call me Ryker,will you?"
I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, and I nodded sheepishly. "Of course, Alpha Ryker…I’m sorry, um, Ryker.”
With that, I made my way back out into the bustling hallway, my head held high despite the coworkers looking at me like an animal in a zoo.
As I approached my desk, I caught sight of a small group of my colleagues huddled together, their voices hushed and the moment they noticed my presence, they all fell silent, shifting their gazes away.
I felt a surge of irritation flare up within me, but I quickly tamped it down, determined not to give them the satisfaction of seeing me bothered.
I turned to see Linda, her expression twisted into a simpering smile.
"Did the boss deal with you, Selena?" she asked, and it was clear she had no concern for me at all.
I forced myself to remain calm. "That's none of your business. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."
Linda's smile faltered, and she looked irritated.
"Oh, come on, Selena. We're all just worried about you, that's all."
I scoffed, the sound sharp and mirthless. "Save it, Linda. I know exactly what you're up to, and I won't let you undermine me."
Linda looked irritated as hell and I knew she was going to put her hands on me if she could. She snorted and I was about to take my seat in my desk before I noticed from the corner of my eye, a commotion at the entrance of the office. It was drawing everyone’s attention now. To my horror and curious stares of my colleagues, it was none other than Kieran.
My heart dropped, and I felt panic hitting me immediately. What the hell was he doing here? Surely, he couldn't be causing a scene, not after everything that had happened.
Ignoring the whispers and the pointed fingers, I rushed towards Kieran as quickly as my legs could carry me, my eyes pleading with him to leave.
"Kieran, what are you doing here? You need to go,
now."
Kieran's expression darkened, his gaze guarded as he surveyed the office. "How dare you work in the company of my rival, Selena? You're coming with me, right now."
I felt a surge of anger and defiance rise within me. "I don't care about your rivalry, Kieran. This is my job, and I'm not going anywhere with you."
Kieran's grip tightened on my arm, and I could see the desperation in his eyes. "Selena, I won't let you do this.You're my mate, and I won't allow you to betray me like this."
Around us, the office had erupted into a frenzy, with phones being raised and cameras flashing at us.
"You are making a scene here, how did you even figure out I was working here?" I asked through gritted teeth.
"Does that even matter right now? You have to come with me. I have more than enough space for you at my company."
He held me even tighter to himself but I yanked my hand away giving him a hard stare. In that moment I wondered what I ever saw in this controlling suffocating person. From the first day he saved me from those bullies, he became a bully himself.
"No, Kieran," I said, my voice ringing out clear and strong. "I'm not going anywhere with you. We're done, and that's final."
I decided that it was better that now I had the whole audience, I put him in his place before it was too late.
"I, Selena Winters, reject you, Kieran Hawthorne, the Alpha of the Lunar pack as my mate!"
The silence that followed was deafening, and I could feel the eyes of my colleagues burning into me. Kieran looked the most shocked he had ever been in his life.